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Safety Tips for Bathing During Pregnancy

There are several dos and don'ts that are associated with pregnancy and distinguishing the myths from the facts could be a challenge for anyone. Many women believe that bathing during pregnancy is a strict no-no as it could have a harmful effect on their babies. However, there is absolutely no truth to this belief. In fact, you can take a long and relaxing bath every day, perhaps even twice a day, right till the time of your delivery. Taking a nice warm bath is an excellent way of relieving stress during pregnancy. This remedy also helps in getting rid of minor pregnancy aches and pains.

However, bathing during pregnancy is only safe, as long as a few tips are kept in mind -

• Be very careful while getting in and out of the tub. Your chances of slipping and falling are higher during pregnancy, because there is a change in your center of gravity. If possible, have someone help you into the tub and out of it. If not, see that your feet and the ground are dry, so that you do not slip.
• Make sure that your bath water is warm, not hot. The ideal temperature of your bath water during pregnancy should be 98.6 degrees F. This will not cause your body temperature to rise.
• Test the temperature of your bath water, just to make sure that it is neither too warm, nor too cold. You should be able to get right into the tub, instead of easing into it.
• While draining the bath water away, remain seated in the tub. This allows your body to cool down slowly. In case your body cools of too quickly you could experience a sudden drop in blood pressure.

Before you decide to get into your warm and soothing bathtub, do make sure that you are neither bleeding, nor has your water broken.

Hot bath during pregnancy

During pregnancy, your doctor will ask you to stay away from steam rooms, saunas and hot tubs. You will also need to avoid taking hot baths at home, till the time you are pregnant. Soaking in a hot tub for more than 10 minutes during pregnancy can raise your body's core temperature to 102 degrees F. This is known as hyperthermia which could be dangerous for your unborn baby. If hyperthermia occurs within the first few weeks of pregnancy, it could increase the risks of a miscarriage considerably. Overheating during pregnancy could also increase the chances of birth defects like Neural Tube Defects (NTD) in your baby.

Moreover, a hot bath could lower your blood pressure during pregnancy, causing you to feel sick and faint. A drop in blood pressure during pregnancy is quite dangerous as it can affect the flow of blood and oxygen to your baby. Therefore, to avoid such problems, it is best for you to take a warm bath during pregnancy, instead of a hot one. You could soak in a warm bathtub each day during pregnancy, as long as the temperature does not exceed 98.6 degrees F. If you start perspiring or experience any discomfort while taking a bath during pregnancy get out of the tub immediately and speak with your doctor about it.

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